tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70864451844360375382018-08-28T08:56:08.901-07:00John's Entertainment News Web Logmortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-76376065828965795782009-08-20T07:00:00.005-07:002010-01-19T07:52:09.157-07:00The Essentials: Part 3 (1991-Present)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
This is the final in a three part series outlining my 30 favorite movie performances of all time (See parts <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2009/08/essentials-1.html">one</a> and <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2009/08/essentials-part-2-1966-1988.html">two</a>). This portion of the list the last two decades.
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<b>Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham in <i>Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</i> (1991)</b>
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Just as he does in <i>Quigley Down Under</i> and the Harry Potter series, Rickman shows why he's better than anyone at playing a guy in a rotten mood. There's something so timeless about <i>Prince of Thieves</i>. I think it's the balance that is achieved by putting two great acters in Rickman and Morgan Freeman on screen with two of the worst actors of that decade in Kevin Costner and Christian Slater. It's as if Rickman knew this movie would be awful and decided to ham it up and have some fun. And boy does he ever. Watch it again and you'll see Costner's wandering English accent upstaged by Rickman's ornery facial expressions. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas."
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<b>Daniel Day-Lewis as Hawkeye in <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> (1992)</b>
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Daniel Day-Lewis is considered one of the greatest actors of his generation largely because of how much of himself he throws into his roles. <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> is no exception. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Duncan: "There is a war on. How is it you are headed west?" Hawkeye: "Well, we kinda face to the north and real sudden-like turn left."
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<b>Kenneth Branaugh as Benedick in <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i> (1993)</b>
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Kenneth Branaugh spent most of the 1990's becoming the next Laurence Olivier adapting the works of Shakespeare for the big screen. One such example was the star-studded <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>, which if you can get past the ultra-happiness that abounds, is a decent movie. An amusing side story is the courting that goes on between Branaugh's Benedict and his then wife Emma Thompson's Beatrice. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humor? No. The world must be peopled."
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<b>Tommy Lee Jones as Deputy US Marshal Samuel Gerard in <i>The Fugitive</i> (1993)</b>
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I confess that I had never heard of Tommy Lee Jones prior to the release of <i>The Fugitive</i>, even though he had appeared in more than 30 movies to that point. So when I went to see this movie it was for Harrison Ford. And while Mr. Ford was solid, it was Mr. Jones' take-no-crap attitude that stole the show. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Gerard: "Newman, what are you doing?" Newman: "I'm thinking." Gerard: "Well, think me up a cup of coffee and a chocolate doughnut with some of those little sprinkles on top, just as long as you're thinking."
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<b>Dennis Quaid as Jeff Blue in <i>Undercover Blues</i> (1993)</b>
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They don't make movies like this one anymore. If <i>Undercover Blues</i> were to come out out today, Hollywood wouldn't know how to classify it. They would either add more children and market it towards kids or make it raunchier and market it toward more "mature" audiences. But since it came out in the early 1990's, we have a fun little husband and wife spy duo fighting crime if for no other reason than for their daughter to able to grow up in a better world. Kathleen Turner plays the "straight man" which leaves Dennis Quaid as the goof ball. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Muerte: "My name... is Muerte!" Jeff: "Nice to meet you Morty, my name is Jeff."
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<b>Ralph Fiennes as Charles Van Doren in <i>Quiz Show</i> (1994)</b>
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The movie <i>Quiz Show</i> is full great performances (except for maybe Rob Morrow whose accent bugs me). Director Robert Redford took what would otherwise be a boring true story and crafts it into an interesting, character-driven drama. The character at the center of it all is Fiennes' Van Doren whose ethical dilemas drive the film. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "I've been swarmed by stockbrokers lately; I feel like a girl with a bad reputation."
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<b>Christopher Guest as Corky St. Clair in <i>Waiting for Guffman</i> (1996)</b>
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The funniest part about each of the Christopher Guest mocumentaries is Guest himself. The best example is drama queen (in more ways than one) Corky in <i>Waiting for Guffman</I>. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "This is my life here we're talking about! We're not just talkin' about, you know, somethin' else, were talking about my life, you know? And it's forcing me to do somethin' I don't wanna do. To leave. To, to go out and just leave and go home and say, make a clean cut here and say 'no way, Corky, you're not puttin' up with these people!' And I'll tell you why I can't put up with you people: because you're bastard people! That's what you are! You're just bastard people! And I'm goin' home and I'm gonna... I'm gonna bite my pillow, is what I'm gonna do!"
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<b>Bill Murray as Wallace Ritchie in <i>The Man Who Knew Too Little</i> (1997)</b>
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There are several Bill Murray comedic roles I could have chosen for this list. I was especially torn between this and <i>What About Bob?</i>, but there's something about <i>The Man Who Knew Too Little</i> that cracks me up every time I watch it. I also enjoy the scenes where Bill shows his versatility by playing a a character who is a bad actor. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "The letters. She told me about them. I know all about the letters. How do you think I know? She told me. Thats how I found out."
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<b>George Clooney as Ulysses Everett McGill in <i>O Brother Where Art Thou?</i> (2000)</b>
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I don't much care for George Clooney. He's too much of a movie star and not enough of an actor. One notable exception is his work in the Coen brothers' <i>O Brother Where Art Thou?</i>, where he delivers their dialogue superbly. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Take your pick from the video below (2:16).
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<b>Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland in <i>Cast Away</i> (2000)</b>
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How many other actors could appear solo on the screen for two hours without boring or annoying the audience? Can you picture Robin Williams or Jim Carrey in the lead role of <i>Cast Away</i>? How about Russell Crowe who won the Oscar that year? Tom Hanks shows he is the master of his craft in this movie (not to mention the master of his body by losing 50 pounds during production). Also, let's not forget his supporting actor is a volleyball. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "So, let me get one thing straight here... We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?"
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<b>Audrey Tautou as Amélie Poulain in <i>Amelie</i> (2001)</b>
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Before raising controversy in the film adaptation of <i>The Da Vinci Code</i>, Ms Tautou burst on to the international movie scene as the title character in the hit <i>Amélie</i>. She plays an imaginative young French girl who overcomes her isolated upbringing and finds love. It's a fun quirky movie and Tautou's expressions bring it to life. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "At least you'll never be a vegetable. Even artichokes have hearts."
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<b>Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin in <i>Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World</i> (2003)</b>
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Russell Crowe gives a strong performance as Captain Jack Aubrey, but Bettany is right there ready to go toe to toe with him. In a movie with a rather simple overall plot, it's the collection of side stories, many of which involve Dr. Maturin, that drive this film. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: See the video below (1:32).
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</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-84157616466312460562009-08-19T07:00:00.005-07:002010-01-19T07:40:52.555-07:00The Essentials: Part 2 (1966-1988)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
This is second in a three part series outlining my 30 favorite movie performances of all time. See part one <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2009/08/essentials-1.html">here</a>. This portion of the list takes us from the mid-60's through the 1980's.
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<b>Peter O'Toole as Simon Dermott in <i>How to Steal a Million</i> (1966)</b>
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I love a good caper movie, even one with a story as unconventional as this one. O'Toole plays a would-be thief who, although we know nothing about him, we identify with immediately. His chemistry with Hepburn helps keep the tone of the movie light. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "I want you to take a long look at the trees, the blue sky, and the river, all of which I personally loathe, which is why a juicy stretch in a French prison doesn't bother me at all."
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<b>Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More in <i>A Man for All Seasons</i> (1966)</b>
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This is the story of the man who defied King Henry VIII in his quest for a divorce. Scofield is outstanding as he shows not only More's defiance, but also his doubts. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Duke of Norfolk: "Oh confound all this. I'm not a scholar, I don't know whether the marriage was lawful or not but dammit, Thomas, look at these names! Why can't you do as I did and come with us, for fellowship?" Sir Thomas More: "And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?"
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<b>Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in <i>Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory</i> (1971)</b>
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For a while after Tim Burton's <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> with Johnny Depp came out, I had a difficult time comparing its merits to those of the original 1971 version. I essentially concluded that they were two very strange movies each influenced by different drugs. Now that a little time has passed, I can see that 1971 version is old and dated and that Charlie's haircut and inability to burp almost ruin the movie. The newer version is clearly a more polished adaptation. But having said that, Wilder is the better Wonka. His part-irritated, part-irritating attitude shows his inner child. His one liners when addressing the spoiled children and their parents are priceless. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "We are the music makers; and we are the dreamers of dreams."
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<b>Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in <i>The Godfather</i> (1972)</b>
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The characters Al Pacino plays these days are so over the top, you almost wouldn't recognize him in <i>The Godfather</i>, where he commands attention with his edgy silence. Michael Corleone's transformation from innocent fresh-out-of-the-army Mike to Godfather Michael Corleone is the best part of a famously well-crafted movie. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Michael: "My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator." Kay: "Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed." Michael: "Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?"
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<b>Peter Ustinov as Prince John (voice) in <i>Robin Hood</i> (1973)</b>
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Back before every character in every animated movie was voiced by a distractingly famous actor, Disney used to employ a small band of regulars who would do multiple voices in multiple movies. Peter Ustinov was a notable exception. Disney's <i>Robin Hood</i> is little more than a stage for Ustinov to ham it up to the point where he makes the Robin Hood character seem downright bland. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "This crown gives me a feeling of power! <i>Power</i>! Forgive me a cruel chuckle. Heh-heh-heh. Power..."
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<b>Harrison Ford as Han Solo in <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> (1980)</b>
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I could have picked any number of Harrison Ford roles to be among my favorites: Dr. Richard Kimball, Jack Ryan, Indiana Jones. But I settled on Han Solo because of the dynamic he brings to trilogy's main trio. In the first movie, he's a scoundrel. In the third movie he's practically a family man. In <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> he's in transition. He knows the cause he's involved in is right, but he's also not fully head over heals in love with Princess Leia yet. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Princess Leia: "I love you." Han Solo: "I know."
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<b>Chevy Chase as Irwin Fletcher in <i>Fletch</i> (1985)</b>
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Back in the mid 1980's, Chevy Chase was at the top of his game. He could deliver sarcastic lines better than anyone. Fletch is just one of many characters he portrayed to do so. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "Can I borrow your towel for a sec? My car just hit a water buffalo." Or any of the Utah jokes below (1:34).
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<b>Holly Hunter as Edwina "Ed" McDunnough in <i>Raising Arizona</i> (1987)</b>
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I'm of two minds when it comes to the work of Joel & Ethan Coen. Half of their movies I absolutely love and the other half I just can't wrap my mind around. My two favorites are <i>Raising Arizona</i> and <i>O Brother, Where Art Thou?</i>, both of which feature Hunter in the role of career criminal's strong-willed wife. In <i>Raising Arizona</i> she brings the perfect balance of sass and vulnerability to a cast of characters tailor made for the Coens' quirky dialogue. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Ed: "I love him so much!" HI: "I know you do, honey." Ed: "I love him so much!" HI: "I know you do."
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<b>Val Kilmer as Madmartigan in <i>Willow</i> (1988)</b>
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OK, so what if <i>Willow</i> is essentially a ripoff of Lord of the Rings with a princess baby instead of a ring? It's still a fun movie. The best performance comes from then unknown Val Kilmer as the greatest swordsman who ever lived. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "'I love you Sorsha?' I don't love her, she kicked me in the face! I hate her... Don't I?"
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Tomorrow: <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2009/08/essentials-part-3-1991-present.html">Part 3 (1991-Present)</a>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-57055735333537133852009-08-18T07:00:00.008-07:002009-08-19T19:31:50.705-07:00The Essentials: Part 1 (1934-1964)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
This is first in a three part series outlining my 30 favorite movie performances of all time. As you'll see over the next few days, some are universally recognized as triumphant achievement in the field of acting, whereas others are just ones I happen to like. They are listed in chronological order. The first portion of the list leads us through the black-and-white era of film making.
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<b>Clark Gable as Peter Warne in <i>It Happened One Night</i> (1934)</b>
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Frank Capra, who was at Columbia Pictures, borrowed Gable and Claudette Colbert from MGM and shot this movie in just two weeks. What followed was a sweep of the five big Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay). In it Gable shows why he was one of Hollywood's biggest stars as he plays the pessimist who falls in love. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "I want to see what love looks like when it's triumphant. I haven't had a good laugh in a week."
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<b>William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick & Nora Charles in <i>The Thin Man</i> Series (1934-47)</b>
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Best onscreen couple ever. Period. Most movies don't spawn five sequels these days because even Hollywood fat cats know that almost any franchise would be short on creativity by the time the sixth installment came around. The entire Thin Man series, however, is quite entertaining. I'm not saying the <i>Song of the Thin Man</i> (1947) is as fresh as the original 1934 film, but William Powell and Myrna Loy are still just as great. All told, the two appeared in 15 films together, but the best are the Thin Man movies. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Nick: "I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune." Nora: "I read where you were shot five times in the tabloids." Nick: "It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids."
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<b>Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson in <i>His Girl Friday</i> (1940)</b>
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This movie is based on the play <i>The Front Page</i>, which had been adapted for the screen just a few years prior. However, in them the two main characters were both men. In this case, it was Russell cast opposite Cary Grant adding the dynamic of a romantic history. The fast talking moves the film along quickly and Russell is right at the center of it all. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "A big fat lummox like you hiring an airplane to write: 'Hildy, don't be hasty. Remember my dimple. Walter.' Delayed our divorce 20 minutes while the judge went out and watched it."
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<b>James Cagney as Cody Jarrett in <i>White Heat</i> (1949)</b>
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James Cagney was a very talented actor, alternating in his film roles between singer/dancer good guys and angry intense mobsters. In <i>White Heat</i>, he is the epitome of the latter. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: Roy: "You wouldn't kill me in cold blood, would ya?" Cody: "No, I'll let ya warm up a little."
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<b>Orsen Welles as Harry Lime in <i>The Third Man</i> (1949)</b>
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Forty-five minutes in to the film, Welles finally makes his appearance as Harry Lime and then promptly steals the show. His character is amoral to say the least, and Welles plays the part convincingly. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."
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<b>Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann in <i>Roman Holiday</i> (1953)</b>
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There are plenty of Audrey Hepburn movies to choose from, but I picked her breakout role in <i>Roman Holiday</i> because it's a well-crafted film that offers up plenty of fun without trying to do too much. The chemistry between Hepburn and Peck is great. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "I've never been alone with a man before, even with my dress on. With my dress off, it's MOST unusual."
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<b>Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> (1962)</b>
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I know Harper Lee's book is an American classic, but that didn't dissuade me from opting to just see the movie when I was assigned to read it in high school. I remember being amazed at how strong a performance Peck gave. It's no wonder Atticus Finch was named the American Film Institute's Greatest Film Hero of All Time. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "Now, gentlemen, in this country, our courts are the great levelers. In our courts, all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system - that's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality! Now I am confident that you gentlemen will review, without passion, the evidence that you have heard, come to a decision and restore this man to his family. In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, believe... Tom Robinson."
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<b>Slim Pickens as Major "King" Kong in <i>Dr. Strangelove</i> (1964)</b>
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Peter Sellers plays three characters in <i>Dr. Strangelove</i> and originally Major Kong was to be the fourth, but it was decided to cast Pickens instead. He doesn't disappoint as the Southern good ole boy bent on fulfilling his mission no matter the cost. <b>Favorite Quote</b>: "Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings. Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff."
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Tomorrow: <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2009/08/essentials-part-2-1966-1988.html">Part 2 (1966-1988)</a>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-20255753583726712982009-08-15T08:00:00.006-07:002009-08-15T08:08:02.245-07:00Generation E<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
Most of the television discussed on this entertainment-themed web log is either the scripted kind or sports. Rarely do I venture into the realm of unscripted shows or so-called reality TV (except to discuss Dog the Bounty Hunter). Today, however I would like to discuss an alarming trend in today's television broadcasting. That is the emergence of thought control. Apparently there are 24-hour news channels out there that, instead of trying to just present the news, put politically-biased editorial commentary with their coverage. I'm told that Fox News caters to the politically conservative while MSNBC has copied that business model and slants its coverage to appeal to people who love the party currently in power (I've previously stated my opinions of one such MSNBC anchor <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2007/04/tired-of-keith.html">here</a>). Meanwhile CNN is trying so hard to be cool, even at the cost of professionalism. Case in point: what's the point of having a 24-hour news network when people who tune in for coverage of election riots in Iran can only get reruns of talk shows. But that's OK because CNN has really cool graphics and pretty young fashion reporters. Plus, now you can follow CNN on Twitter.
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<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/e.jpg" align="right">Another emerging trend in the market of thought control is the drone factory known by one simple letter: E! (the exclamation point is theirs, not mine). Have you watched this channel lately? Apparently the E stands for entertainment, but you'd be surprised what they present as such. At least I know where to turn when I need to know what Jessica Simpson and Lindsay Lohan are doing. The one thing going against E! is that it's difficult to mold minds when heads are empty. Take for example the clip below (1:16). It's from a program that aired on E! called "Wildest Commercial Moments." Instead of showing funny commercials and letting the audience laugh at how amusing they are, E! decided its audience probably wouldn't understand the sophisticated humor of bad local commercials so they provided annoying "comedians" in pop-up windows to tell us what's funny.
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<center><embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i299.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid299.photobucket.com/albums/mm303/ryesman2/E.flv"></embed></center>
<br>
In a similar vein is the VH1 series "I Love the Decade." Instead of presenting a nostalgic look at what went down in the 1980's, they have to had commentary from people whose memories I'm suppose to value over my own.
<br><br>
I've got to go now. I've taken up too much of your time as it is. In fact, while you were reading this Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie adopted twin Asian babies and named them after Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-18784377899493694212009-08-09T05:00:00.005-07:002009-08-09T05:55:05.008-07:00You're welcome, ESPN<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
This week the college football writers of ESPN.com unveiled <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4369091">their proposal</a> of how they would fix the current mess known as the BCS. It is suspiciously like <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2006/10/my-plan-to-fix-college-football.html"> My plan to fix college football</a> that I posted here three years ago. Both plans call for a complete overhaul of college football by eliminating the BCS and current conferences. Both call for a top tier of 40 schools divided into four conferences based solely on geography. Both plans call for a playoff of the four conference champs to determine a national champion. Both plans call for poor performers to be relegated to the second tier at the end of each season. Where did ESPN get their idea? Let's just say I have my suspicions. To be fair, there are a few differences between the proposals. Whereas my plan calls for three tiers of 40 teams, their plan calls for a first tier of 40 and second tier of 80. Also, I suppose I hadn't gone as far as to name my conferences. Theirs are named after legendary coaches. Too bad our plans have no chance of being implemented. That is to say my plan, posted here in the blogosphere, has no chance. ESPN's clout gives their plan maybe a one half of one percent chance of being implemented.
<br><br>
<b>My Map</b>:
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<a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/college_divisions_lg.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/college_divisions.jpg" border="0"></a>
<br><br>
<b>ESPN's Map</b>:
<br>
<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/espn_college_divisions.jpg">
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-6393782480845578332009-08-07T06:00:00.002-07:002009-08-08T16:42:05.281-07:00Extradition: British Columbia<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
Don't forget. Tonight is the season premiere of <i>Psych</i>.
<br><br>
<center><embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i299.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid299.photobucket.com/albums/mm303/ryesman2/Psych4.flv"></embed></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-37129483354472912312009-08-05T05:45:00.004-07:002009-08-13T21:19:08.559-07:00Family Portrait<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/marvel_lg.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/marvel.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>On a recent trip to my parent's house I went through my old junk from when I was a kid and found the "Marvel Super Heroes Fantasy Jigsaw Puzzle: A Marvel Comics Family Portrait Featuring Over 130 Favorite Characters" (see the full box <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/marvel_lg.jpg">front</a> and <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/marvel_back.jpg">back</a>). I was into super heroes in a big way when I was a kid. It was limited mostly to toys and Saturday-morning cartoons and never translated into comic book collecting. Still, one doesn't have to be Comic Book Guy to recognize many of the characters in this group shot since many have made their way to big screen.
<br><br>
Below are several side-by-side comparisons of the Marvel comic book heroes and villains in the puzzle form and cinematic form, along with my grade for each adaptation.</td>
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</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>X-Men Trilogy</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Professor X</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/professorx.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/professorx_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/professorx_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Even though I was never a Star Trek fan, it's hard to think of a better actor than Patrick Stewart to play this part. Plus, he was already bald. <b>Grade: A</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Magneto</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/magneto.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/magneto_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/magneto_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Thanks to the X-Men and Lord of the Rings trilogies, Ian McKellen went from a British stage actor not all that well known by the mainstream public to nerd icon. Still, he seems a bit older than the guy in the puzzle, who if you'll look closely, appears to be checking out Storm's mid-rift, something else that would be a stretch for Sir Ian. <b>Grade: B-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Wolverine</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/wolverine.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/wolverine_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/wolverine_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">In the first X-Men movie, Hugh Jackman's character is complaining about the matching leather uniforms by saying "You actually go outside in these things?" Cyclops responds with "Well, what would you prefer? Yellow spandex?" If he wanted a higher grade here, he should have said "Yes." <b>Grade: B</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Cyclops</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/cyclops.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/cyclops_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/cyclops_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">James Marsden, Hollywood's go-to "Other Guy" when it comes to love triangles, apparently has better pretty-boy locks than the guy in the puzzle. Still, the visor thing (adjusted for technological advances) is pretty cool. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Storm</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/storm.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/storm_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/storm_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">A lot of people find Halle Berry sexy. I've never been much of a fan (even before Cat Woman). Berry, apparently left her sexiness out of the movie, while the puzzle Storm is flaunting hers. And if I recall, Storm is African whereas Halle Berry just sort mumbled her way in and out of some accent in the X-Men movies. Being black and having white hair isn't enough. <b>Grade: C+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Iceman</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/iceman.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/iceman_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/iceman_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">When I was a kid, Iceman shared a cartoon with Spider-Man. But apparently he's now an X-Man, and a rather bland one at that. Frozone from <i>The Incredibles</i> seems to have gotton closer on the super powers. <b>Grade: B</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Nightcrawler</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nightcrawler.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nightcrawler_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nightcrawler_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The makeup people nailed this one. Alan Cumming's got it all: blue skin, a pointy tail, yellow eyes and only two fingers on each hand. <b>Grade: A</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Colossus</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/colossus.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/colossus_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/colossus_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Colossus was one of the main characters from the cartoon. Too bad he's hardly in the movies. Still, the adaptation seems pretty good. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Beast</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/beast.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/beast_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/beast_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">He's a furry blue man. It would be pretty hard to mess it up. Yet even though Kelsey Grammer is covered in makeup, he still manages to have Frasier hair. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Angel (aka Archangel)</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/angel.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/angel_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/angel_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The wings are excellent. The rest, not so much. <b>Grade: B</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat)</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kittypryde.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kittypryde_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kittypryde_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">This character appears in all three X-Men movies, each time played by a different actress. The most famous, and one with the biggest part is <i>Juno</i>'s Ellen Page in <i>X-Men III</i>. Again, what we're missing here is the yellow spandex. <b>Grade: B</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Fantastic 4, Rise of the Silver Surfer</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Mr. Fantastic</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/mrfantastic.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/mrfantastic_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/mrfantastic_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The attention to detail is earning the grade here. If it weren't for Ioan Gruffudd's gray temples, we're looking at a B at best. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Invisible Girl</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/invisiblegirl.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/invisiblegirl_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/invisiblegirl_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Jessica Alba is built like a female cartoon super hero. And while I don't have a problem with the dyed-blonde hair, the fake blue eyes are a bit creepy at times. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Human Torch</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/humantorch.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/humantorch_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/humantorch_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Like Beast above, it would be pretty hard to screw this one up. He's a guy on fire. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Thing</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/thing.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/thing_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/thing_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The hardest of the Fantastic Four to recreate must have been Thing. You can't argue with the end result. <b>Grade: A</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Dr. Doom</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/drdoom.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/drdoom_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/drdoom_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Like Cyclops above, this one is all about the metal stuck to the face. It's close enough. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Silver Surfer</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/silversurfer.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/silversurfer_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/silversurfer_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The guy in the puzzle is more like the Silver Body Boarder, so in that respect the movie version is better. <b>Grade: A</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Galactus</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/galactus.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/galactus_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/galactus_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">On the left we have a guy who manages to fit into a group photo. On the right we have a swirling galactic vortex about to consume Earth. At least the helmet shape comes through when he explodes in the movie's climactic scene. <b>Grade: D</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Spider-Man</b>, <b>Spider-Man 2</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Spider-Man</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/spider-man.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/spider-man_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/spider-man_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The color and detail in the movie version look pretty sharp. Too bad Tobey Maguire's underneath the mask. <b>Spider-Man Grade: A-</b>, <b>Peter Parker Grade: F</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Green Goblin</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/greengoblin.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/greengoblin_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/greengoblin_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The guy in the puzzle appears to be an actual green goblin. Willem Dafoe is wearing a big metal helmet/mask thing that maybe looks like a goblin. <b>Grade: D+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Dr. Octopus</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/droctopus.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/droctopus_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/droctopus_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Alfred Molina is sporting modern sun glasses instead of goggles and plain clothes instead of green spandex, but the octopus tentacles are pretty cool. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Iron Man, Iron Man 2</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Iron Man</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/ironman.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/ironman_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/ironman_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The face shape and color hues are off a bit, but like Spider-Man, the movie version looks pretty sharp. <b>Grade: A-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Black Widow</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blackwidow.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blackwidow_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blackwidow_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Though still a year away, photos from <i>Iron Man 2</i> have already been released. The part of Black Widow will be played by Scarlett Johansson. This is similar to the Jessica Alba situation in that we run in to natural hair-color issues. Maybe the two actresses would have done better to switch parts. Aside from the hair, which is easy to dye, it's hard to complain too much with the casting. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Daredevil</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Daredevil</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/daredevil.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/daredevil_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/daredevil_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Even though the nubby little horns on Ben Affleck's hood/mask aren't as bad as George Clooney's infamous Batman nipples, the all red leather look is a bit silly. Plus, it's Ben Affleck underneath. <b>Daredevil Grade: B-</b>, <b>Matt Murdock Grade: D+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Kingpin</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kingpin.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kingpin_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/kingpin_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The obvious difference between puzzle Kingpin and movie Kingpin is just too glaring. They can call it getting with the times, but I can't believe the movie makers expect us to accept that their Kingpin doesn't have an ascot. Where did you think I was going with this? The cigar? Oh, race. Yeah, I don't care about that. Michael Clark Duncan works in this role. Plus he gets the already-bald points. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Blade Trilogy</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Blade</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blade.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blade_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/blade_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The differences between the puzzle and movie versions of Blade are purely a matter of fashion. So although I would like to have seen Wesley Snipes with a Jheri curl, I don't blame the movie makers for going modern with the hair. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>The Hulk, The Incredible Hulk</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>The Hulk</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/hulk.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/hulk_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/hulk_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">As I've stated many times in this web log, I liked the Hulk cartoon. I liked the Hulk TV show. I didn't like that the movie was a combination of the two. I guess you could say the first hulk is more like the cartoon and the second is more like the TV show. But which is more like the puzzle? It would appear the answer is the first one, because despite advances is computer-generated imagery, he is a closer adaptation because he has purple pants and is actually green. <b>Hulk (2003) Grade: B+</b>, <b>The Incredible Hulk (2008) Grade: B-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Howard the Duck</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Howard the Duck</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/howardtheduck.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/howardtheduck_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/howardtheduck_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Whereas puzzle Howard the Duck looks a lot like Donald Duck with a cigar, movie Howard the Duck was actually a $2 million robotic suit. <b>Grade: B-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Captain America</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Captain America</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/captainamerica.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/captainamerica_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/captainamerica_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The 1990 movie <i>Captain America</i> is by all accounts a terrible movie (Watch the trailer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTWQcCqa6IQ">here</a>). Its IMDb User Rating is an anemic 2.8 out of 10 (even <i>Howard the Duck</i> managed a 4.0). But the costume is spot on, aside from the fact that it appears to be constructed from colorful garbage bags. <b>Grade: B+</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Red Skull</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/redskull.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/redskull_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/redskull_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Puzzle Red Skull lives up to his name. Movie Red Skull looks as though he would be better named Red Skinless Face Guy or Smuckers Man. <b>Grade: B-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
Coming soon to a theater near you...
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Nick Fury</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Nick Fury</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nickfury.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nickfury_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/nickfury_m.jpg"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">I could have listed this character up with Iron Man and Black widow, but Samuel L. Jackson's cameo after the <i>Iron Man</i> closing credits was just a ploy to plug his own movie coming out next year. There doesn't appear to be a whole lot in common between puzzle Nick Fury and movie Nick Fury besides the eye patch. In fact, movie Nick Fury looks suspiciously like Shaft. <b>Grade: B-</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<font face="helvetica" size="+2"><b>Thor</b></font>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="left"><b>Thor</b>
<td align="left"><b>Loki</b>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/thor.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/thor_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/loki.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/marvel/loki_p.jpg" border="0"></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">The movie adaptation of <i>Thor</i> is due out in 2011. Besides the Norse god super hero, it will have Loki as the villain, so watch for that. Also due in 2011 is <i>The First Avenger: Captain America</i>. Hopefully it will be better than the 1990 version.
<br><br><font size="-2">Note, as I stated, I didn't collect comic books, so grades were based almost entirely on the visual representation presented above, with a little help from my limited memory of the cartoons. Feel free to comment at the risk of being called a nerd.</font></td>
</tr>
</table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-91144297832594150422009-08-04T06:00:00.005-07:002009-08-04T09:30:47.204-07:00Would you like a little cereal?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
Season 2 of <i>Flight of the Conchords</i> comes out on DVD today, not that I expect you to rush out and buy it. I just wanted an excuse to show a clip.
<br><br>
<center><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1cGoDns8wTA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1cGoDns8wTA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-12679681473618197682009-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:002009-08-02T09:00:00.464-07:00Myrna Loy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/loy.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/loy_sm.jpg" align="right"></a>Today marks the 104th anniversary of the birth of the late Myrna Loy. The actress, who died in 1993, was best known for her portrayal of Nora Charles in the six Thin Man movies (1934-47). She was hugely popular in the 1930's and 40's, having also appeared in <i>The Best Years of Our Lives</i> (1946), <i>Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House</i> (1948 opposite Cary Grant), and <i>Cheaper by the Dozen</i> (1950). She began her career in the silent film era where she often played the role of the exotic femme fatale. After the advent of sound her roles switched to that of the witty, urbane, professional woman or loyal housewife. Legend has it that Loy was the favorite star of famed outlaw John Dillinger and that he came out of hiding in 1934 just to see her in <i>Manhattan Melodrama</i>. He was gunned down by FBI agents upon leaving the theater.
<br><br>
If you've never heard of Myrna Loy or have never seen the Thin Man movies, it's about time you sat down for a marathon.
<br><br>
<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/thinman.jpg">
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-87970986044117090982009-08-01T06:00:00.003-07:002009-08-01T06:00:03.511-07:00100<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<center><a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/100-09.html"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/list/100-09.jpg"></a></center>
<br>
Last year Entertainment News released its list of the 100 most list-worthy individuals, setting off a firestorm of water-cooler debate and fanhood posturing. Essentially, it was a list of the people who most deserve to be on a list. A year has passed and we now present the 100 Most List-worthy Individuals of 2009. As was the case last year, eligibility rules are simple:
<br><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The person must be either real or fictitious.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. If real, the person must still be alive.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. The person need not be a person at all.
<br><br>
All other criteria is strictly confidential. Click <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/100-09.html">here</a> for the expanded list which includes photos, descriptions and prior rankings.
<br><br>
<center><table>
<tr>
<td align="left">
&nbsp;&nbsp;1.&nbsp;Chuck Norris<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;2.&nbsp;Xuxa<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;3.&nbsp;Xena: Warrior Princess<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;4.&nbsp;The Most Interesting Man in the World<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;5.&nbsp;Duane Chapman<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;6.&nbsp;Fabio<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;7.&nbsp;Hobbes<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;8.&nbsp;Sinbad<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;9.&nbsp;Rowlf<br>
&nbsp;10.&nbsp;Winnie the Pooh<br>
&nbsp;11.&nbsp;Vin Diesel<br>
&nbsp;12.&nbsp;Antonin Scalia<br>
&nbsp;13.&nbsp;Bat Boy<br>
&nbsp;14.&nbsp;Stephen Hawking<br>
&nbsp;15.&nbsp;Buster Bluth<br>
&nbsp;16.&nbsp;Edson Arantes do Nascimento<br>
&nbsp;17.&nbsp;Arthur Fonzarelli<br>
&nbsp;18.&nbsp;Lex Luthor<br>
&nbsp;19.&nbsp;Colonel Mustard<br>
&nbsp;20.&nbsp;Ivan Lendl<br>
&nbsp;21.&nbsp;Chief Clancy Wiggum<br>
&nbsp;22.&nbsp;Ichiro<br>
&nbsp;23.&nbsp;David St. Hubbins<br>
&nbsp;24.&nbsp;Detective Lennie Briscoe<br>
&nbsp;25.&nbsp;Alex Trebek<br>
&nbsp;26.&nbsp;Pauly Shore<br>
&nbsp;27.&nbsp;Dirk Benedict<br>
&nbsp;28.&nbsp;ALF<br>
&nbsp;29.&nbsp;Patrick Swayze<br>
&nbsp;30.&nbsp;Garth Algar<br>
&nbsp;31.&nbsp;Plácido Domingo<br>
&nbsp;32.&nbsp;Brigitte Bardot<br>
&nbsp;33.&nbsp;Jim Nantz<br>
&nbsp;34.&nbsp;Danielle Steel<br>
&nbsp;35.&nbsp;Mr. T<br>
&nbsp;36.&nbsp;Lara Croft<br>
&nbsp;37.&nbsp;Fat Lever<br>
&nbsp;38.&nbsp;Eleanor<br>
&nbsp;39.&nbsp;Ahmad Rashad<br>
&nbsp;40.&nbsp;Vidal Sassoon<br>
&nbsp;41.&nbsp;Melanie Chisholm<br>
&nbsp;42.&nbsp;Grimace<br>
&nbsp;43.&nbsp;Count Chocula<br>
&nbsp;44.&nbsp;David Bowie<br>
&nbsp;45.&nbsp;Jessica Rabbit<br>
&nbsp;46.&nbsp;Neil Diamond<br>
&nbsp;47.&nbsp;Meatloaf<br>
&nbsp;48.&nbsp;Patrick Star<br>
&nbsp;49.&nbsp;Ringo Star<br>
&nbsp;50.&nbsp;Steve Buscemi<br>
</td><td align="left">
&nbsp;51.&nbsp;Q<br>
&nbsp;52.&nbsp;Q-Bert<br>
&nbsp;53.&nbsp;Franka Potente<br>
&nbsp;54.&nbsp;Tom Servo<br>
&nbsp;55.&nbsp;Edward Scissorhands<br>
&nbsp;56.&nbsp;Delta Burke<br>
&nbsp;57.&nbsp;Alfred E. Neuman<br>
&nbsp;58.&nbsp;Warwick Davis<br>
&nbsp;60.&nbsp;Bibleman<br>
&nbsp;60.&nbsp;Rachel Ray<br>
&nbsp;61.&nbsp;Willie Nelson<br>
&nbsp;62.&nbsp;Betty Crocker<br>
&nbsp;63.&nbsp;Derek Jacobi<br>
&nbsp;64.&nbsp;Casey Kasem<br>
&nbsp;65.&nbsp;Abe Vigoda<br>
&nbsp;66.&nbsp;Lando Calrissian<br>
&nbsp;67.&nbsp;Vanna White<br>
&nbsp;68.&nbsp;Dr. Egon Spengler<br>
&nbsp;69.&nbsp;Norm Abrams<br>
&nbsp;70.&nbsp;Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind<br>
&nbsp;71.&nbsp;Weird Al Yankovic<br>
&nbsp;72.&nbsp;John Astin<br>
&nbsp;73.&nbsp;Gromit<br>
&nbsp;74.&nbsp;Sally Jesse Rafael<br>
&nbsp;75.&nbsp;Gloria Gaynor<br>
&nbsp;76.&nbsp;Billy Zane<br>
&nbsp;77.&nbsp;El Guapo<br>
&nbsp;78.&nbsp;Dan Quayle<br>
&nbsp;79.&nbsp;Pierluigi Collina<br>
&nbsp;80.&nbsp;Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer<br>
&nbsp;81.&nbsp;Laura Bush<br>
&nbsp;82.&nbsp;The Phoenix Suns Gorilla<br>
&nbsp;83.&nbsp;Sonic the Hedgehog<br>
&nbsp;84.&nbsp;Billy Joel<br>
&nbsp;85.&nbsp;The Noid<br>
&nbsp;86.&nbsp;Heather Mitts<br>
&nbsp;87.&nbsp;Dr. Strangelove<br>
&nbsp;88.&nbsp;Usain Bolt<br>
&nbsp;89.&nbsp;Michael J. Fox<br>
&nbsp;90.&nbsp;Mercer Mayer<br>
&nbsp;91.&nbsp;Jenny Berggren<br>
&nbsp;92.&nbsp;Ernest Borgnine<br>
&nbsp;93.&nbsp;Tyra Banks<br>
&nbsp;94.&nbsp;Makoto Nagano<br>
&nbsp;95.&nbsp;Alan Greenspan<br>
&nbsp;96.&nbsp;Brian Doyle-Murray<br>
&nbsp;97.&nbsp;Angela Merkel<br>
&nbsp;98.&nbsp;Detective Harry Callahan<br>
&nbsp;99.&nbsp;Michael Vick<br>
100.&nbsp;Kim Jong Il<br>
</td></tr></table></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-66510930988010906192009-07-20T12:09:00.009-07:002009-07-31T09:24:08.287-07:00August and Nothing After<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
It's been three months since my last post and I have to admit I don't really miss it. I have therefore decided to hang up the blog and walk away for a while. But before I go, I'm going to turn over my bucket of ideas. I'm going to fizzle out with a bang as it were. So during the month of August I will be adding to my web log like mad. My previous best for a single month was November of 2006 where I wrote 8 web log entries. I'm going to far surpass that next month. Among the topics to be highlighted are the 100 Most List-worthy Individuals of 2009 (see the 2008 list <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2008/05/list.html">here</a>), some comic book movie talk and the Entertainment News Web Log Entertainer of the Year, so stay tuned.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-75855738337418759162009-04-19T07:37:00.007-07:002009-04-19T22:03:18.044-07:00Lego Arrested Development<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
I came across these photos the other day. The first is the stair car.
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<a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/adlego.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/adlego_sm.jpg"></a>
<br>
This one's the Banana Stand. The flame is supposed to represent "Yeah, but where'd the lighter fluid come from?"
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<a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/adlego2.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/adlego2_sm.jpg"></a>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-56311314627791817792009-04-02T10:13:00.005-07:002009-04-02T14:17:16.384-07:00Poll Question<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
The Favorite Kelso poll is now closed. If the results tell us anything, it is that I have more friends who watch <i>Scrubs</i> than friends who are teen-age girls.
<br><br>
<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/kelso-results.jpg"></center>
<br>
The new poll question (on the right) concerns Bruce Willis. It asks which big-budget action movie is more unbelievably over the top, <i>Armageddon</i> or <i>Live Free or Die Hard</i>.
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<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/willis.jpg"></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-62286242506148335442009-03-26T05:05:00.001-07:002009-03-26T05:05:24.530-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Alan Arkin<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
We here at Entertainment News would like to wish a happy 75th birthday to the great Alan Arkin. To celebrate we are naming him March's Entertainer of the Month. You probably know him best from... well, that depends on how old you are. He got in to the entertainment industry back in the 1950's as part of the musical group The Tarriers. With them he co-wrote a Jamaican calypso folk song called "The Banana Boat Song" which later became better known as Harry Belefonte's hit "Day-O." In the 1960's Arkin turned to acting. He starred in the 1967 thriller <i>Wait Until Dark</i> with Audrey Hepburn. Later he played Captain Yossarian in the movie adaptation of <i>Catch-22</i>. In more recent years he has shown up mostly in comedies like <i>Grosse Pointe Blank</i>, <i>Little Miss Sunshine</i> (which won him an Oscar) and most recently <i>Get Smart</i>. One of my favorite roles of his is as the police chief in <i>So I Married an Axe Murderer</i>. His scenes opposite Anthony LaPaglia (below, 3:29) are my favorites in that movie.
<br><br>
<center><embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i299.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid299.photobucket.com/albums/mm303/ryesman2/axemurderer-cops.flv"></embed></center>
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<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/arkin.jpg" border="0"></td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-73343762439267125122009-02-27T09:17:00.008-07:002009-02-28T13:56:17.692-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Adam Baldwin<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/baldwin.jpg"><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/baldwin_sm.jpg" align="right"></a>February's Entertainer of the Month is Adam Baldwin. Best known for playing a tough guy, Baldwin can seen on NBC's <i>Chuck</i> as super agent John Casey. Prior to that, he was gun-loving muscle head Jayne Cobb in the short-lived series <i>Firefly</i> and its subsequent movie followup <i>Serenity</i>. However, one of my favorite Adam Baldwin moments comes from the movie <i>Independence Day</i> when his character, Major Mitchell, is asked if the glass separating them from the killer alien is bullet proof. He responds by pulling out his gun and saying "No, Sir!"
<br><br>
For your viewing (and listening) pleasure, below is a video (2:36) of Baldwin singing his version of "Hero of Canton," a song from an episode of <i>Firefly</i>.
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<center><object width="600" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vEIDvgapTw8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vEIDvgapTw8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="340"></embed></object></center>
<br>
And in case you were wondering, he's not related to the Baldwin brothers.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-18506086086488394152009-02-07T06:27:00.010-07:002009-02-07T06:41:03.499-07:00Tears of a Rapper<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
If you hadn't noticed, Bret & Jemaine are back for Season 2. Get me a small man's wet suit, please.
<br><br>
<center><object width="600" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9zI3_pnUU3k&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9zI3_pnUU3k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="360"></embed></object></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-84701962458420297652009-01-24T13:38:00.008-07:002009-01-25T06:40:47.824-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Doug E. Doug<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/doug.jpg" align="right">The polls are closed and pulling away late in what turned out to be a land slide, January's Entertainer of the Month is Doug E. Doug. Early on in the voting, four entertainers, LL Cool J, David Bowie, Neil Diamond, and Doug, emerged in a tight race that seemed like it would go down the wire. But as the race went on Mr. Doug seemed to gather momentum and finished 10 percentage points ahead of the competition. Some are pointing to voter irregularities and I myself do suspect ballot box stuffing (Worthington?). Nevertheless, I am certifying the vote and declaring Doug E. Doug the winner. As for the other 19 candidates, they all presented themselves well, except of course for Kirstie Alley, who failed to garner even a single vote. Better luck next January.
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<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/january.gif"></center>
<br>
As for Mr. Doug (real name: Douglas Bourne), he hasn't been up to much lately. He was pretty big stuff for a brief run in the 1990's with starring roles in some Disney hits including <i>Cool Runnings</i> with John Candy, <i>Operation Dumbo Drop</i> with Danny Glover and Ray Liotta, and <i>That Darn Cat</i> with Christina Ricci. He plaid wacky neighbor Griffin Vesey in <i>Cosby</i>, Bill's not-quite-as-successful followup to <i>The Cosby Show</i>. Other notable roles include <i>Eight Legged Freaks</i> (pictured below) with David Arquette and a not-yet famous Scarlett Johansson, and <i>Shark Tale</i>. His most recent acting credit is voice work in the Cartoon Network show <i>My Gym Partner's a Monkey</i>. He was in an episode that also featured Ziggy Marley. Apparently now he's a high school teacher in New York or something. For those that miss him, one of his earliest films <i>Hangin' with the Homeboys</i> will be on Comedy Central a few times this week.
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<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/doug8.jpg"></center>
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Trivia: In <i>That Darn Cat</i>, Doug E. Doug plays Agent Zeke Kelso, a role that was filled by Disney super star Dean Jones in the original 1965 version of the film. Jones also appears in the 1997 version, this time as Mr. Flint. In honor of characters named Kelso, the new poll question (right) asks who is your favorite Kelso: Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso from <i>That 70's Show</i> or Ken Jenkins as Dr. Bob Kelso from <i>Scrubs</i>.
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<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/kelso2.jpg"></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-14584590057371627692009-01-16T14:13:00.007-07:002009-01-17T14:36:50.405-07:00Heir(s) Apparent<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
The physical comedy of the comedic fat man has been around as long the the joke. Still, I consider John Belushi the first modern king of the funny fat guys. His crown was surrendered upon his death and later claimed by Chris Farley, who too died on the thrown. I've been waiting and wondering who is the rightful heir. After seeing <i>Orange County</i>, I was certain it was Jack Black. But then Cedric the Entertainer emerged on the scene. However, with his new movie <i>Paul Blart: Mall Cop</i> opening today, Kevin James is staking his claim. But there can be only one king. Who will it be?
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</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-23283227604278383042008-12-08T14:12:00.011-07:002008-12-08T14:42:16.735-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Tom Jane<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<i>The Punisher: War Zone</i> opened this weekend to a disappointing $4 million. It stars Ray Stevenson as the title character. This is the third <i>Punisher</i> movie, and from what I've read, none have been satisfactory to die hard fans of the comic book upon which the movies are based. I wouldn't know. I did see the second version with Tom Jane and John Travolta as the bad guy. It's not great, but the plot does center around some good old fashioned righteous vengeance.
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<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/punisher.jpg">
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Jane is probably best known for his roll in <i>Deep Blue Sea</i>, an awful film about really smart sharks that go about killing the workers of an underwater marine lab one by one. Rest assured it is not for that movie that Jane is being awarded John's Entertainment News Entertainer of the Month of December. Rather, it is for his appearance on <i>Arrested Development</i> where he played himself, seen below (2:45).
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And don't forget to vote early and often for January's Entertainer of the Month. All the entertainers in the running were born in the month of January.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-30050782746873777972008-11-10T15:35:00.008-07:002008-11-10T21:53:45.064-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Rich Eisen<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/eisen.jpg" align="right">November's Entertainer of the Month is former ESPN anchor and current NFL Network talking head Rich Eisen. Before I explain the selection, allow me to give some relevant background information. First, I am a sports fan, but a selective one. I follow a lot of different sports, but for many of them I only sit down and watch during the playoffs. Professional football falls into this category. I'm really big into college football and after wasting large portions of my Saturdays watching it, there isn't much time left over for the NFL on Sundays. So instead I watch the 90-minute NFL GameDay Final on NFL Network. It's hosted by Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders and Steve Mariucci. Eisen is capable; Sanders, surprisingly, is not as annoying as you might expect; and Mariucci is professional. So if Eisen is only "capable," why is he being honored here today? Simply put: he is not Chris Berman. Before I got access to the NFL Network, I was forced to get my NFL highlights from SportsCenter which unveils its weekly game recaps by way of countless bad puns from legendary buffoon <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/berman.jpg">Chris Berman</a>. He's been at ESPN since the beginning and let me tell you, his shtick has worn tired. So congratulations Rich Eisen for being a palatable alternative to Chris Berman. You are John's Entertainment News Web Log's Entertainer of Month.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-18798933570219066792008-11-07T12:05:00.008-07:002008-11-12T15:24:13.043-07:00I Knew It!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
I always suspected there was something fishy about certain Olympic events. Here's a clip (2:18) from last night's <i>30 Rock</i>:
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</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-58363736476966540652008-10-03T11:09:00.007-07:002008-10-05T08:32:42.639-07:00Entertainer of the Month: Mike White<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/mike_white.jpg"></center>
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October's Entertainer of the Month is actor/writer/producer Mike White. Most of you probably recognize him as Jack Black's roommate Ned Schneebly in <i>School of Rock</i>, but did you know he also wrote the film's screenplay, despite not being a fan of rock music. He was also wrote the screenplay for <i>Orange County</i>, another Jack Black comedy that largely went unnoticed a few years back. Black is over the top, as usual, but my favorite scenes, including some bonus scenes from the DVD, feature White as a high school English teacher. See below (3:23).
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Next up for White is the comedy <i>Smother</i> starring Diane Keaton and Liv Tyler.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-5679882546313069072008-09-09T21:12:00.007-07:002008-11-12T15:25:40.544-07:00Not to Mention the Hypotenuse<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
Telly and James Blunt together at last.
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I especially like the slow motion dance sequences. Also, since I have nobody else in mind, I might as well declare James Blunt Entertainer of the Month while I'm at it.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-44196493018528583082008-08-25T20:55:00.015-07:002009-03-25T17:36:57.832-07:00Olympic Recap<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td background="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/olympics.jpg">
<i>I know it's been a while since I posted, but I've been on vacation. My trip ended two weeks ago, but my vacation ended yesterday.</i>
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The Games of the XXIX Olympiad just came to a close, to borrow from yearbooks everywhere, what a wild ride it's been. Below are my thoughts and observations in no real organized order.
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<b>The Rivalry</b>: In many ways the Olympics peaked in 1988 when we saw the last Olympiad before communism fell. That year the United States finished third in the medal count behind the Soviet Union and East Germany. Four years later the US was second behind the Unified Team, but with the cold war over it was clear the US would no longer be the underdog in the Olympics. Now it seems that the Americans are the favorite in every event, at least among the few events NBC shows. I miss the Soviets and East Germans, who played the part of the bad guy so well, better than Notre Dame, the Lakers, the Yankees, the Cowboys or the Patriots. Even the Australian swimmers seemed less formidable than in previous Olympics. In fact, I was sad to hear that Ian Thorpe had retired, because I loved to root against him. A huge part of being a sports fan is rooting for the underdog, and in today's Olympics the underdog is rarely wearing the stars and stripes. That's why I'm not ashamed to admit rooting for a few athletes from other countries, even when their events featured Americans. Consider <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/coventry.jpg">Kirsty Coventry</a>, the swimmer from Zimbabwe who has now won seven of her country's eight medals ever. When she brought home a gold medal in 2004, her war-torn country observed a few days of peace in her honor. While it would be wrong of me to claim that medals mean more to some athletes than others, it is clear that gold medals can mean more to some countries than others. (Trivia: The United States has won 2,514 medals in the history of the Olympics). A lot of times it's national heroes versus millionaires. I do not mean to sound unpatriotic, but I do long for a viable rival, and it would now appear that China is just the country to step in to that roll. When the dust settled, the US had claimed the overall medal crown (110-100), but China won more gold medals (51-36). I'm excited to see what both countries can do at a neutral site in 2012.
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<b>Volleyball</b>: What a year to be fan of the American Volleyball with double gold in beach volleyball and a gold and silver on the court. I was especially in to <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/dalhausser-rogers.jpg">Rogers & Dalhausser</a>. May and Walsh were good too, but it's kind of hard to take the women's beach game seriously with those uniforms. The men's hard court team had an amazing run to the gold, although Sherstin didn't like watching them because while at BYU she had a roommate who was dating <a href="http://www.usavolleyball.org/National/profiles/men/player.asp?number=5">Rich Lambourne</a>, the US libero. We won't go into more details than that.
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<b>Michael Phelps</b>: Congratulations are in order for Mr. Phelps, his coach and his mother. Most of all, however, congratulations are in order for NBC, which is happier than anyone else the way the swimming competition turned out. In fact, the way they hyped up the story detracted somewhat from the moment. Anything less than 8 golds would have been a failure so when he succeeded, the accomplishment was a little diminished, at least from a spectator's point of view.
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<b>Gymnastics</b>: I hate gymnastics. I suppose it was inevitable that, considering how much of it NBC had jammed down my throat, I would eventually gag on it. I can even trace it back to the specific moment I vomited: The 1996 Gymastic Gala when Alexei Nemov <a href="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/nemov.jpg">took off his shirt</a> to do a pummel horse routine set to Snap's "I've Got the Power." Since then I have refused to watch any gymnastics. This year was no exception. So my only comment on the 2008 gymnastic competition is Nastia Liukin has a funny name.
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<b>Usain Bolt</b>: Jamaica has emerged as a viable rival for the US in sprinting. In the six sprint events (Men's and Women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay), Jamaica came away with five gold medals, a silver and two bronze. The US managed zero gold, two silver, two bronze and two dropped batons. The Jamaican grabbing all the headlines was Usain Bolt who set the world record in both the 100m and 200m. That guy is just plain fun to watch.
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<b>Baseball & Softball</b>: For the foreseeable future, both of these sports will no longer be a part of the Olympics and I can't say that I'm disappointed. Softball's out because of US domination, which is rather ironic considering Japan snuck away with the gold. And Olympic baseball is a joke. The United States&#8212;you know, the country that invented baseball&#8212;always sends a bunch minor leaguers who can't cut it against the Cubans or Koreans. I will say this, while they're at it, there are plenty of other sports that don't belong in the Olympics either, mainly equestrian, sailing, trampoline, synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics or any event where gobs of makeup are worn (cough-gymnastics-cough). I do not in any way discount the skill and dedication required to compete in these events, but you don't see billiards, darts, Nascar or cheer leading in the Olympics either.
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<b>The Coverage</b>: If you couldn't tell by now, I'll go a head say that I think NBC's coverage was poor, despite what the ratings might suggest. Most of my complaints are centered on the live vs. tape delay. I get that NBC paid a billion dollars for the rights and they have to save the marquee events for prime time. While I would have liked to see more stuff live, my bigger problem is NBC showing highlights of certain events and then showing those events later. Similarly, NBC often showed matches out of order. If I'm watching the a beach volleyball semi-final where the announcers are saying that the winner will take on Team X, you can't follow that match up with Team X playing Team Y in the other semi-final and expect me to watch. Worst of all, however, were the ill-timed commercial breaks. I don't know how many times I was watching a <i>tape-delayed</i> soccer game that had a goal scored during a commercial break. Can someone explain the logic behind that? If it's tape delayed, you can pause the broadcast for a commercial break.
<br><br>In the talking heads department, my award for worst announcer of the games is a tie between soccer's Marcelo Balboa, who talks in second person more than any announcer ever, and track & field's Ato Bolden who thinks we tune in to the Olympics just to hear him talk (check out <a href="http://www.atoboldon.com/">his piece-of-crap web site</a> where he, not surprisingly, talks about how great he is).
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All that negative ranting aside, I love the Olympics and look forward to 2010 (Vancouver), 2012 (London), 2014 (Sochi, Russia) and 2016 (Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo).
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086445184436037538.post-84102130643656672212008-07-22T18:00:00.001-07:002008-07-23T19:54:56.447-07:00On Vacation<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td>
All Entertainment News editors and writers are on vacation, but we will return in August with the Second Annual Entertainment News Soccer Week Presented by Sconefest.
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<center><img src="http://www.sconefest.com/john/blog/soccerweek_sm.jpg"></center>
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<font size="-2">Revisit last year's Soccer Week <a href="http://sconefest.blogspot.com/2007/08/soccer-week.html">here</a></font>.
</td></tr></tbody></table>mortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11486333214430164524noreply@blogger.com1